Combined tedder and rake



(m5 Modem I W. D. MILLER.

COMBINED T EDDBR AND RAKE. 7

No. 379,972. V

IN V'EJV TOR WITNESSES, v I

N PETERS. Pbflwkilhographer. Washinginn. D. C.

' 2 sheets-sheet 1.

' Patented Mar. 27, 1888'.

W I m mmeyk.

. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM D. MILLER, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO.

COMBINED TEDDER AND RAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 379,972, dated March 27, 1388. Application filed October 26. 1896. Serial No. 217.264. (No model.)

To all whom itmay concern.-

Be it known that LWIL IAM D. MILLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county of Clark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Combined Tedder and Bake, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a combined hay-rake and tedder; and it consists in the peculiarities hereinafter more fully pointed out.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and on which similar letters of reference indicate the same or corresponding features,

Figure 1 is a vertical" sectional view of my improved machine, showing some of the parts in side elevation; Fig. 2, a plan view of a portion thereof; and Fig. 3, a detail rear and sectional view of a portion of the axle-spindle, the tedder-frame, and the devices which suspend it.

The letter A designates one of the ordinary supporting-wheels to which is secured a gearwheel or rim, B, soas to rotate therewith, and the letter 0 refers to the thill-frame,which is provided with an axle, D, to which the wheelspindles E are connected in any approved way. Mounted upon the axle D by any suitable hinge-connection is a rake-head, F, to which is secured a number of rake-teeth, G, of the usual construction, and to the head is also attached a standard, H, which in turn is connected by a link or pitman, I, with an adj usting hand-lever, J, whose position is maintained wherever adjusted by engagement with a segment, K. A short fin, L, is formed on the lever J, and is throwninto and out of engagement with the teeth on the side of the segment K, as more clearly seen in Fig. 2. This is a cheap manner of constructing a segment and lever, so as to engage or disengage them.

When the lever J is set in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1, the rake-teeth are lifted, as also shown in Fig. 2, and the tedding mech anism is free to operate. When, however, the lever and the teeth are adjusted to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1,.the rake is performing its function. Before this is done,

, supporting-wheels.

however, the fodder-frame is removed in manner presently to be described.

Referring now to the tedding mechanism, I

the letter M designates the tedder-frame, which may beconstructed in the usual manner, or

substantially so, and to which is connectedat.

suitable number of metallic blocks, N, while depending from the axle D is a corresponding number of lugs, 0, having holesthe'rein, whose .center is coincident with the axis of the By means of boltsPthe blocks N and lugs O are connected together,

and the tedder-framethus supported .beneath I the axle and concentrically to the axis ofathe supporting wheels and gear-Wheels B. This frame is free to rise at its rear end should the tjedder-forks meet with an obstruction inthei'r descent, which, frequently occurs, especially on uneven ground, or where the ground is more or less rocky. This preserves the tedder mechanism against undue strain, and by reason of thevframe being mounted concen trically with the gear-wheels B the operatingpinions on the tedder-shaft do not lose their engagement with the said gear-wheels when the frame experiences a rise or fall at its rear end.

- The tedding mechanism which -I intend employing may be of any of the approved kinds,

and in the accompanying drawings I have illustrated a crank-shaft having a plurality of venting that end of the frame from rising under the influence of the gear-wheels B, as also for the purpose of making it quickly return to normal position in case it is lifted by one or more of the tedder-forks coming in contact with an obstruction.

The letter V refers to an adjusting lever having afulcrum-point at W, and constructed, like the lever J, with a fin to engage with a segment-bar, X. The lower end of the lever terminates over oneof the beams-say, the forward cross-beamof the tedder-frame, and by moving the lever so as to depress its lower end the tedder-frame is adjusted properly with respect to the ground.

It will be understood that the tedder-frame, by reason of its tedding mechanism, is heaviest in the rear of its supporting-points, and hence it is unnecessary to positively connect the lever V with that frame, though this may be done, if it were desired.

One feature of importance is the fact that there is nothing below the tedder frame to prevent its dropping to the ground immediately upon withdrawing the bolts and pins P from the blocks, and lugs N and O, the result of which is the ready and easy detachment of the tedder-frame from the running-gear when it is desired to rake.

Tedder-frames and their mechanism are usually quite heavy, too heavy to be readily removed by one-man; but as thus constructed no such difiiculty is experienced, and for this reason the tedder-frame may be dropped at any point in the field with little or no manual labor, assistance only being needed to replace the frame.

Having thus fully described my i nvention,-

what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a combined .hay rake and tedder, the following features arranged substantially as described: the axle,the rake-head and its teeth, the lever, the pitman and the segment, the tedderframe pivotally and detachably suspended below the axle and axially with the supporting-wheels, the tedder mechanism, the adj usting-lever therefor, adapted to bear upon the front end of the teddenframe, the holdingdown spring bearing upon the rear of said frame, and the operating-gears for operating the tedder mechanism.

, 2. In a combined hay rake and tedder, the combination, with the supportingwheels, the thill'frame, the axle and logs secured thereto and depending downward, of the tedder-frame having blocks, bolts connecting the blocks to the lugs, the center of the bolts being coincident to the axis of the supporting-wheels, the holding-down spring secured to the axle, extending rearwardly and bearing down upon the tedder-frame, the adjusting-lever pivoted to the thill-frame and bearing down upon the front of the tedder-frame, the tedding mechanism on the rear of the tedder-frame, the pinions on the tedder-shaft, and the gear-wheels meshing therewith and carried by the supporting-wheel.

- In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

, WM. D. MILLER.

Witnesses:

"CHASE STEWART, A. A. YEATMAN. 

